Nov 17, 2013 12:28 PM
15883 Views
Complaint against Cox & Kings Ltd. I booked for me and my wife in American Bonanza tour with Cox & Kings Ltd scheduled between 28th Aug and 10th Sept 2013. From the beginning it was decided that I would join the group in USA at JFK Airport, New York when they arrived there.
The mails were also exchanged just few days before, confirming that the tour Manager would contact me at JFK and take us along with the group to the hotel. For any reason if the group left the airport without us it was agreed that the tour manager would telephonically inform us of the departure. The telephone numbers were exchanged and we also confirmed from USA with the tour manager when he was checking in at Mumbai airport along with the group.
We reached the airport at 3.40 pm and were waiting at the exit from 3.55 pm. When we called the tour manager in his mobile it was switched off. We made repeated attempts to contact but to no avail. In the meantime we contacted Cox & Kings USA and the hotel.
They were not aware of the arrival. We waited up to 7 pm at the airport hoping that the group was yet to be cleared at emigration/customs. At 7 pm during our fourth call, hotel confirmed the arrival of the group. The tour manager was connected by the hotel staff. The tour manager bluntly asked us to take a taxi and reach the hotel. We were new to New York and that is why we had stipulated that condition before booking. We took a taxi after that and luckily we reached the hotel safely.
We were charged US$239 by the taxi. We went through the mental agony and trauma for about 5 hours in addition to loss of US$239 for no fault of ours. Later we came to know that the coach carrying the group left the airport at 4.40pm.
We made a demand only for reimbursement of taxi fare which they refused on the basis of their policy. We should have also claimed for damages for causing mental agony. I am unable to understand the policy to inconvenience the customer due to breach of agreed terms. Even during the tour, sometimes visits were not conducted strictly as per itinerary provided to us. They claim of 250 years of customer satisfaction. How? is the big question. I seek help to redress the loss.
P. Sadanand Achar,
Mumbai 400101.
